


Pink Ankle Socks

by Jackalope_303 (Genius_626)



Category: Legally Blonde - Hach/O'Keefe/Benjamin
Genre: Emmett Forrest's A+ Parenting, Family Fluff, Nonbinary Character, Post-Canon, fashion and gender, good parenting, original character Elias Forrest-Woods
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-06-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:26:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24516118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Genius_626/pseuds/Jackalope_303
Summary: Emmett and his 9-year-old son, Elias, have to go clothes shopping together for the first time.
Relationships: Emmett Forrest/Elle Woods
Comments: 10
Kudos: 134





	Pink Ankle Socks

The color pink used to remind Emmett of things like tooth-rotting cotton candy, or his own gums for that matter. It certainly didn't have a significant place in his world of grays and browns.

But with Elle Woods came the color pink, and after ten years of being married to her, Emmett couldn’t very well recall what his achromatic life had been like before they met.

Elias, their nine-year-old son, was almost in the fourth grade. They normally called him "Eli," with "Elias" reserved for when he was in trouble. He loved reading and watching cartoons, and he absentmindedly left his shoes and socks just about everywhere--a trait that Emmett hoped he would grow out of soon. 

Eli also _loved_ the color pink.

When he was just a baby, Elle used to dress him in all the colors of the rainbow, and—disregarding the opinion of just about every adult they came in contact with—she didn’t shy away from crafting him little pink ensembles.

When Eli started talking, “pink” was even one of his first words. Emmett never had to wonder why. Elias was a smart kid and quickly realized that everything in the house that was pink belonged to mommy. Sometimes when Elle was working late on major cases, he would just point to pink things around the house, and Emmett knew that it meant “ _where is she_?”

As his son got older, he reminded Emmett more and more of Elle. His general temperament was closer to Elle's, making them two optimistic, excitable, highly determined peas in a pod. They both also loved dogs, especially their little Chihuahua, Bruiser Jr, who Eli sometimes put in a tote bag and carried around the house. 

Even though Eli was generally more like Elle, he seemed to be the perfect combination of Woods and Forrest, at least at this age. Their friends sometimes joked about who he resembled more. With short hair, he looked more like Emmett, and with long hair, he looked more like Elle, so it fluctuated. At seven years old, Eli had decided to grow his hair out, so now his wavy brown tresses were just past his shoulders. Elle liked to braid it, and Emmett was _not_ a great replacement braider, (he'd learned that the hard way).

He couldn't have predicted that braiding hair would become a requirement for raising a boy, but in hindsight, he should've realized that the child of Elle Woods would march to the beat of his own drum. He was just happy to be there, unlike his own father. 

He remembered slightly panicking before Eli was born, just at the idea of being a dad. He hadn’t had any good father figures in his entire life, so how was he supposed to know what to do?

“You never had a good dad, so what?” Elle had said to him during a late-night grocery store run, browsing up and down the frozen food aisles. “That’s kind of perfect, actually.”

He’d given her an incredulous look. “Please, enlighten me.”

“Well, think about the kind of dad you wish you’d had. And just _be_ that kind of dad.”

Emmett had scoffed at her, and she’d stuck her tongue out at him. But as much as he didn’t want to admit it, that piece of advice sometimes echoed in his mind. Like when he’d finally gotten to see Eli for the first time. Emmett remembered holding him and wanting so much to give his son what he'd never had. A present, attentive, loving father. 

He could do that, no problem. 

…

Emmett had never taken Eli clothes shopping before. Why would he when he was married to Elle Woods? She _loved_ shopping for boys' clothes. 

Eli was growing an inch every other day, it seemed, but Elle was swamped with work. This was usually very much a mom-and-son outing, but Elle's current case had her full attention for the foreseeable future, so Emmett had stepped in on his day off.

He'd never been good at this sort of thing, so he let Eli roam free in the boys’ section of a local kid’s retailer. He chose to sit by the dressing room and reply to a few work-related emails on his phone. It must’ve only been ten or twenty minutes before Eli came to find him.

Emmett looked up at his son, who was holding up one pair of khaki shorts and two plainly striped t-shirts. One of them was a salmon-ish pink, but even Emmett knew that wasn’t his favorite shade.

"This is all I really want." He said, shrugging.

Emmett pocketed his phone. He could tell that Eli was putting on a face. It was the same kind of thing Elle did during a trial when she was secretly fuming, or even close to tears. She was very good at keeping her composure.

And so, apparently, was her son.

"Buddy, you need more than one pair of shorts," Emmett said. Eli was silent, so Emmett stood up. “Well, I guess we can get these and go look around a few other stores. Maybe we should’ve gone to the mall first...”

"Um. Daddy?"

Emmett blinked. At this age, Eli didn't call him “daddy” that often.

"I know that I'm supposed to look here with the boy stuff, but..." Eli gazed across the store towards the girls’ section. “Can I try looking over there?"

It took Emmett a few seconds to fully process the question. When he realized, he felt he'd been struck in the heart, as if by lightning. His mind went racing, wondering if Eli had ever broached this topic with his mother. Elle would’ve mentioned this, surely. Maybe Eli had never felt comfortable asking his mother about this, given how enthusiastic she always was about finding the cutest bowties and button-down shirts for him.

That's when Emmett took Eli’s hand and marched him across the store. Eli had immediately brightened up. There were so many more colors to choose from, and different shapes to work with, and sequins, and patterns, and pink. Emmett stayed with him this time, holding everything he picked out until it turned into a heap in his arms.

“Dad, look at these socks!” Eli said, holding up a pack of pink ankle socks. “They’re the perfect color! And they feel really nice.”

Emmett had to smile at the simple joy of finding socks you liked. As an adult who was particular about the length and feel of his own socks, he understood this feeling.

“Onto the pile.” He said, taking the pack and letting Eli lead the way.

Eventually, Emmett sat outside the boys’ dressing room and gave notes on every outfit Eli tried on. It reminded Emmett very much of Elle, per usual.

It wasn’t busy at the store, but a few other parents gave both Emmett and his child strange looks. It truly pissed him off, but at least Eli didn’t seem to notice, too excited to care about anything else.

 _It’s_ _just_ _clothes_ , he remembered saying to Elle the first time she'd taken him shopping. He was right, it was just a new suit, that couldn't change who he was. And Elle had agreed. _That's the best part,_ she'd said _, the outside is new, now it reflects what's already in you._

After being married to Elle for so long, he’d learned a thing or two about the function of fashion. A color, or a hair cut, or a single article of clothing could communicate to the world something intrinsically _you_ better than a carefully worded sign around your neck. The appearance was partially curated, and there was an art to it. There could also be joy in finding what reflected _you_ on the outside, but unfortunately, it wasn't always that easy. 

He wasn’t born with a knowledge of this craft, but maybe Eli was. And if not, then he was certainly brave enough to try. 

…

When they got back home, Eli burst through the front door, one large plastic bag hanging from each shoulder.

Elle looked up from where she was seated on the couch. She was still dressed in business attire, save for the heels that were neatly set on the carpet. Bruiser Jr. was in her lap and demanding attention.

"Mom, I have to show you what I got!" Eli said, zooming past her and up the stairs to his room. 

His mother beamed, happy to see that the father-son outing was a success. “Yay, a fashion show!"

Emmett closed the door behind him before joining his wife on the couch. She leaned in to for a quick kiss, which he met halfway.

"Did you just now get back from work?" He asked.

"Yeah." Elle replied. "I definitely thought you guys would beat me here."

“I thought so too." Emmett sighed. Sitting here made him realize just how tired he was. A few solid hours of shopping really was exhausting. "How was work?”

“Fine.” Elle answered with a sigh and a smile. “And I thought _I_ was tired.” She reached up and brushed a stray piece of hair out of his face. “You look a little rough, Forrest.”

Emmett hummed in agreement. “I don’t know how you have the energy for this. We went to a few stores today, made some unplanned stops."

Elle rested a hand on his knee. Jr. then leaped to the ground and followed Eli's trail.

“Thank you for that, Em.” Elle said. “I know clothes shopping isn't really your thing, but he’s growing out of everything so fast.”

Emmett folded his hand over hers on his knee, holding it tightly. He didn’t know what to say for a moment, and Elle picked up on the loaded silence.

“Is everything OK?” She asked.

Emmett nodded. “I’m just...really proud of him."

Elle didn’t know how to respond, unsure of what Emmett was feeling, and why. And then she heard Eli tear down the staircase.

He emerged triumphant, absolutely beaming. He’d chosen a layered look; a sparkly purple bomber jacket over a striped pastel long sleeve, and a pink flowing skirt over blue skinny jeans. He’d even put his long, wavy hair up in a ponytail using one of Elle’s scrunchies.

Elle looked him up and down, totally surprised and utterly speechless. She saw the smile on his face and it melted her heart.

"Oh my God!" She cried, tears filling her eyes. She got up and dove for her child, crushing him in the tightest hug. "You look amazing!"

"Thank you." Eli managed, squished as he was. "Dad helped!"

Elle couldn’t hold him for long, not wanting to get tears or running makeup all over his new clothes. He needed the oxygen, anyhow.

Elle looked back at Emmett. Their eyes met, and he knew exactly how she felt. Along with the love in her gaze was a strong sense of purpose. It was motherly and lawyerly all at once. She wanted nothing more than to protect him from the world. 

When Eli broke away to showcase another outfit, Emmett went to Elle and held her. 

"Every day, I love him more," Elle said, trying to pull it together before Eli came back down. "It sounds impossible."

"It's not impossible," Emmett said. He felt her squeeze him tighter. 

"You did a good job." She said. "I'm proud of you, too."

…

Later that night after dinner, Eli fell asleep watching cartoons in the living room. He was still light enough that Elle could pick him up and carry him to bed, although she had to admit it was getting more difficult as time went on. Despite this, she rarely gave up the chance, she would continue to pick him up until it was physically impossible. 

Emmett wasn't surprised in the slightest to see that Eli's shoes and socks were strewn across the living room floor. He bent down to place the white sneakers somewhere no one would trip on them, and he took the pink ankle socks to throw in the laundry bin.

Looking at them, he had a thought. 

The sky was sometimes pink in those moments between day and night. It was beautiful when it bled into the orange sunset. He was glad that his world wasn’t just grays and browns anymore. It was more like a rainbow, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone, I hope you're all safe and well. I know this won't get a lot of views, but as long as I'm posting cute things on the internet to help relax and process my emotions, I also want to be talking about what really matters right now. 
> 
> Here's a safety tip thread for anyone thinking about protesting who might need it:
> 
> https://twitter.com/nxbrxth/status/1266239760248393735
> 
> Here's a master thread of petitions/resources/etc:
> 
> https://twitter.com/rosiegguks/status/1266307905692864513
> 
> Black Lives Matter.


End file.
